By far the most coveted cult album from the Tikva catalog is 1967's Jerusalem of Gold, the only release from Hebrew reverb specialists The Sabras. Though they formed in New York City with one American and three Israeli members, the band took their name from the tough Israeli prickly pear cactus that had become the familiar Zionist handle for Jews born on Israeli soil. The cover makes the quartet look like a Vegas novelty act (wide-collared, chest-hair-bearing gold lame shirts, an Ottoman handlebar moustache, electric guitar poses, a dumbek over the knee), but whatâs inside is a bit more serious: twelve slices of fuzzed out diaspora garage rock. They are at their tightest on the lean and mean "Ho Yaldonet" ("O Little Girl"), a stomper that should certainly earn them a spot on the Israeli version of Nuggets.

From "Songs For the Jewish-American Jet Set: The Tikva Records Story 1950-1973," released by the Idelsohn Society for Musical Preservation on November 22, 2011.
http://idelsohnsociety.com/

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